The genomics revolution is happening now and will affect everyone.
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My second goal is to post articles on recent scientific developments in the biotechnology and genomics research space, that would interest like minded scientists and other biotechnology professionals.

12/27/2009

Gene found that raises child asthma risk by half

The discovery could lead to new treatments for the conditions which affects
one million children in Britain.

Scientists in America found the gene called DEBNND1B sets off a chain reaction
that causes the immune system to overreact to irritants, triggering symptoms
such as difficulty breathing and wheezing.

The findings are published online by the New England Journal of Medicine.

Only on other gene has been found that increases the chances of developing
asthma.

Lead author Dr Hakon Hakonarson, director of the Center for Applied Genomics
at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, compared the genes of 793
children with persistent asthma to those to 1,988 children without to
discover those with the disease had a variation in their genetic code.

Dr Hakonarson said: "We now know that the DENND1B gene and its protein
are involved in the release of cytokines, which are signalling molecules
that in this case tell the body how it should respond to foreign particles.

"Many of these particles are well-known triggers of asthma. In asthma,
patients have an inappropriate immune response in which they develop airway
inflammation and overreaction of the airway muscle cells, referred to as
airway hyperresponsiveness.

"The gene mutations in DENND1B appear to lead to overproduction of
cytokines that subsequently drive this oversensitive response in asthma
patients."

He added: "Because this gene seems to regulate many different cytokines,
intervening in this pathway has great potential for treating asthma.

"Other asthma-related genes remain to be discovered, but finding a way
to target this common gene variant could benefit large numbers of children
if researchers can develop drugs to contain this signalling pathway. ."

Leanne Metcalf, Director of Research at Asthma UK, said: "A person’s
likelihood of developing asthma is a combination of their genetic make-up
and the kind of environment they are exposed to, especially in early life.

"This large scale and well designed study has shed more light on the
link between genetics and the overreaction of the immune system which is
responsible for asthma symptoms, and opens up an exciting potential avenue
for new treatments for the 1.1m children in the UK with asthma.

"It is essential to remember, however, that genetics forms only one part
of a much bigger picture, so further research is needed to understand
exactly how genetic and environmental factors influence asthma."

Comments

The discovery could lead to new treatments for the conditions which affects
one million children in Britain.

Scientists in America found the gene called DEBNND1B sets off a chain reaction
that causes the immune system to overreact to irritants, triggering symptoms
such as difficulty breathing and wheezing.

The findings are published online by the New England Journal of Medicine.

Only on other gene has been found that increases the chances of developing
asthma.

Lead author Dr Hakon Hakonarson, director of the Center for Applied Genomics
at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, compared the genes of 793
children with persistent asthma to those to 1,988 children without to
discover those with the disease had a variation in their genetic code.

Dr Hakonarson said: "We now know that the DENND1B gene and its protein
are involved in the release of cytokines, which are signalling molecules
that in this case tell the body how it should respond to foreign particles.

"Many of these particles are well-known triggers of asthma. In asthma,
patients have an inappropriate immune response in which they develop airway
inflammation and overreaction of the airway muscle cells, referred to as
airway hyperresponsiveness.

"The gene mutations in DENND1B appear to lead to overproduction of
cytokines that subsequently drive this oversensitive response in asthma
patients."

He added: "Because this gene seems to regulate many different cytokines,
intervening in this pathway has great potential for treating asthma.

"Other asthma-related genes remain to be discovered, but finding a way
to target this common gene variant could benefit large numbers of children
if researchers can develop drugs to contain this signalling pathway. ."

Leanne Metcalf, Director of Research at Asthma UK, said: "A person’s
likelihood of developing asthma is a combination of their genetic make-up
and the kind of environment they are exposed to, especially in early life.

"This large scale and well designed study has shed more light on the
link between genetics and the overreaction of the immune system which is
responsible for asthma symptoms, and opens up an exciting potential avenue
for new treatments for the 1.1m children in the UK with asthma.

"It is essential to remember, however, that genetics forms only one part
of a much bigger picture, so further research is needed to understand
exactly how genetic and environmental factors influence asthma."